Sprinkler



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. B. HALL.

SPRINKLER.

N0. 395,225. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

WITNEEEEE INVENTL'JIR (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- 0. B. HALL.

SPRINKLER.

No. 395,225. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

n. PETERS. Pnomumn m' ncrj Washinglun. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

OSBORN B. HALL, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPRINKLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,225, dated December25, 1888.

Application filed October 22, 1888. Serial No. 288,776. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, OSBORN B. HALL, of Malden, in the county of Hiddlesexand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Automatic Sprinklers, which will, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, be hereinafter fully described, and specifically defined inthe ap-- pended claims.

Referring again to said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of asprinkler embodying my invention, viewed as from the left in Fig. 2 andshown as closed by a sealing-link. Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of thesame, viewed as from the right in Fig. 1 and shown as closed. Fig. is aView taken, from the same standpoint as Fig. 2, but showing theextinguisher in condition, as when giving an alarm of the failure of thescaling-link. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the sprinkler when in thecondition shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 4, butshowing the sprinkler in the condition shown in Fig. Fig. (3 is anenlarged detached vertical section taken as on line Z, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 isa view similar to Fig. 1, but showing my invention in connection with anextinguisher sealed by solder applied directly thereto when in a fusedstate, and also showing an electrical alarm. Fig. 8 is an edge elevationtaken at the left of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of Figs. 7 and S.Fig. 10 shows my invention applied. to an extinguisher in which isembodied a horizontal lever to support thcwalvc. Fig. 11 is an elevationtaken at'the left of Fig. 10.

This invention relates to that cl ass of sprinklers which are arrangedat proper and effective intervals upon a systcmof overhead pipesprovided with a fluid-supply, such sprinklers being normally held closedand inoperative by'fusible metal that will give way when thepredetermined danger-limit of heat has been reached, thereby releasingthe valve of the sprinkler and allowing the fluid in said pipes toescape and extinguish the fire in its early stage.

I have, for the purpose of illustrating my invention, shown it in thefirst nine figures of the drawings in connection with the automaticsprinkler patented to C. (i. \Valworth and myself by United StatesLetters Patent N 287,071, issued September 23, 1883; and in.

the last two of said views the sprinkler shown is, with the exception ofmy invention, that shown in United States Patent No. 348,531, issuedAugust 31, 1886, and the fusible link shown in said first nine figuresis that patented to myself August 11., 1885, and September 27, 1887, andnumbered 324,316 and 370,390, respectively; but in this application I donot confine myself to any kind of sprinkler or to said link, myinvention is applicable to all kinds of sprinklers which are heldinoperative by fusible metal and to all kinds of links which may beemployed in connection with such sprinklers to control the escape offluid therefrom.

In said drawings, A represents the frame of the extinguisher, which insaid first nine figures is represented as an integral casting with.

top horizontal bar, a, lower bar, Z), and side bars, r: c, a threadednipple, (I, being formed upon bar a for connection with afluid-distributing pipe. A distributor or deflector, e, is formedintegral with and between bars 0 and with a central opening to receivevalve f, which (with its packing) closes nipple d, said valve having astem, g, that rests upon the cam h, which is mounted on rock-shaft 'i,which is supported in lugsjj, formed upon bar 7), a lever, 7:, formedintegral with shaft 1' being secured in position by fusible link B,which engages stud a, formed at the top of frame A. Said link is shownas embodying the essential features described and claimed in saidPatents Nos. 3%,316 and ,390, and as being formed of parts on m of brasssecured together by suitable solder that will fuse at the intended lowdegree of heat, as specified in said patent-s.

In Figs. 10 and 11 the extinguisher is shown as formed with an integralframe, consisting of vertical bars 0 c, a lower uniting-bar, b, adefiector, e, and an annular upper bar or ring, a, in which is threadedthe nipple (Z, against the lower face of which the valve f is seated tocontrol the water that enters said nipple from the distributing-pipe;and in said last two figures the valve is shown as held to its seatagainst nipple (l by means of a lever, is, which at its inner endsupports the valve and is itself seated upon lug y of the frame and atits outer end is slotted to receive the thin flat bar B, whose pin zengages the under face ICC) of the lever while said bar at its upper endis secured to the arm or stud n, projecting from frame A, by solderu,whieh is applied directly in place by heat.

In Figs. 1 to (i the valve is shown asheld to its seat by means of cam71-, on which the val vestem g is supported, said cam being thus securedby means of lever is, which supports said cam and is itself supported bylink B, which embraces both said lever and stud a, formed upon frame A,while in Figs. 7 and 8 said valve-supporting lever 70 is secured inposition by being soldered directly to frame A, as shown at u, thesolder being thus applied in place by heat; but these several methods ofsealing the sprinkler and rendering it inoperative until liberated byheat are known equivalents each for the other, and have been introducedand explained to illustrate my present invention, which I will describeafter first prem isin g that, whether the extinguisher is sealed by afusible link or by solder applied directly to the parts, there is alwaysdanger of the same giving away by fracture and causing serious damage bythe liberation of water that has been confined by such sealing device.Such giving way of the water-confining agent is due to several causes,among which may be mentioned 'the shocks of the water known as thewater-hammer, the expansion and contraction of the frame A,which isliable to fracture the solder when applied directly by heat, as shown atu, and that whether the sealing-link 13 is composed wholly of the samefusible metal as is employed at u, or it be formed with parts on m,llig. (i, of brass or other strong and comparatively slowfusing metalunited by solder, as shown in my said former patents, the said confiningmetal that fuses at a low heat is necessarily weak and brittle andconsequently liable to fracture. To prevent the serious loss that oftenresults from such giving way of the confining metal, and at the sametime give notice' of such failure of the sealing device, I employ alink, C, which loosely embraces both the securing lever and a support,as stud a, said link being of such size that when the seal gives way thevalve can open but slight distance, so as to allow the water to trickledownward just enough to indicate the failure of the seal.

I11 Figs. 2 and 4 the extinguisher is shown as held inoperative by thesealing-link 1;, while the safety or guard link C merely serves as asentinel in readiness to arrest the movement of lever 70 when thesealing-link fails and to yet allow the valve to open just enough togive the water-alarm, as stated.

In Figs. 3 and 5 the sealing-link I; is shown as having given way andthe guard-link C is supporting the lever.

In Fig. 6 the parts m m of link B are shown as separated when the solderhas been fused from space If between them, whilethe parts 1) of link arestill united by solder g.

In Figs. 7, 8, and 9, where lever 71: is secured by solder u, as stated,the guard-link C is of such length as to allow the lever to move, asexplained, just enough to allow a slight escape of water when thesealing-solder gives way from any cause but heat; and in Fi 10 and 1 1the link C is shown to be of such size that when the solder u isfractured and lever is is liberated it can move but slightly, so as toallow just the limited escape of water to indicate the fact.

I prefer to employ in the guard-link C a solder that is slightly moresensitive to heat than is that employed to seal the extinguisher, inorder that when called to duty by fire the guaiw'l-link shall first giveway, thereby rendering it certain that it will not interfere with theintended opening of the extinguisher in such case.

By my method of providing a guard-link that is always on duty as asentinel, but is subjected to no strain or diminution of its strength solong as the sealingdevice remains intact, this kind of fire apparatusmaybe employed in large dry-goods stores and other buildings from whichat present they are largely excluded, for the reason that the risk ofdamage by water, resulting from the failure of the sealing device byfracture, is deemed too great. For, as hereinbefore explained, after thegiving way of the seal from any cause except heat, the guard-linkrenders it impossible that more than the requisite water to indicate thefact of the failure of the seal. shall escape from the extinguisher, andhence but slight damage can be thereby caused.

For still greater security, I combine with said guard-link. an electricalarm, preferably as shown in Figs. '7, R, and l), and as an opencircuit, in which 1' is an elastic contact-arm secured to frame A byascrew, as shown, and insulated by disks 11*, said arm being so arrangedthat it will, as shown in Fig. 8, be out of contact with lever 70 solong as said lever is held by the sealing device, but will be in contactwith the lever when the latter is liberated by the seal. and has movedthe limited distance permitted by the guard-link; and when such contactis formed an alarm-bell or other signal will be set off by the electriccurrent thus rendered operative. The requisite circult is made byline-wire 00, which connects the arms 1* of the several extinguishers inthe system, and leads thence to the battery, while a wire connects thebattery directly with the system of pipes on which the extinguishers arearranged. And as such battery and connections are of the utmostfamiliarity to all who are even slightly versed in electrical apparatus,it is not deemed necessary to delineate the same in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

formed and arranged in position to arrest the opening of the sprinklerwhen first liberated by the accidental fracture of said seal, sub

when thus sealed, the combination of said fusible seal, a guard-linkloosely inclosing' both said lever and a supporting projection upon theframe of the sprinkler, and arranged to arrest the movement of saidlever when the seal is accidentally fractured, a contact arm or surfacearranged to be engaged by said lever when the latter is supported bysaid guardlink, and an electric signaling device 0011- neeted with saidcontact-arm, all substantially as specified.

OSBORN B. HALL. Vitnesses:

, T. W. PORTER,

EBEN HUTCHINSON.

